Property Protection (PPI)

Average rates vs National Average

Cellphone/Texting

Indiana

Explained

Hand-Held Cell Phone Ban:

No

All Cell Phone Use Ban for Novice Drivers:

Yes

Drivers under the age of 18 cannot use a cell phone at all while driving.

Texting Ban:

Yes

In Indiana, text messaging is banned for all drivers.

DUI Laws

Indiana

Explained

The legal limit for a blood alcohol concentration (BAC):

0.08

The legal limit for a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) while driving is 0.08. It is a crime to drive with a BAC at this number or above it.

Increased penalty for high BAC:

.15 or above

There's an increased penalty for driving with a BAC 0.15 or above.

1st offense Suspension:

180 days

Administrative license suspension on the 1st offense: In Indiana, law enforcers can confiscate a first-time offender's driver's license for 180 days if he or she exceeds the legal limit. Limited driving privileges, such as to and from work, are permitted after 30 days.

Ignition Interlocks:

Discretionary

These are devices installed in the cars of convicted drunk drivers, which analyze the breath or the driver before starting the vehicle and disable the ignition if alcohol is detected. Indiana made the installation of ignition interlocks discretionary.

Repeat Offenders:

Yes

Minumum penalities for repeat offenders include suspension of driving privileges for no less than one year, impoundment or immobilization of any and all of the offender's vehicles, or the installation of ignition interlocks to all vehicles owned by the offender, mandatory alcohol assessment and treatment, and a sentence of at least five days of imprisonment or 30 days of community service for a second-time offender. Third-time and further offenders can see at least ten days of imprisonment or 60 days of community service.

Open Container Law:

Yes

No driver or passenger can have a container of alcohol with a broken seal in his or her possession or in any passenger area of their vehicle. Any previously opened alcoholic beverage containers may be transported in a vehicle's trunk.

Graduated Drivers License

Indiana

Explained

Learner Stage:

(Supervised driving, to be completed with a driving test): At 15 years of age if taking driver's education and 16 years of age if not taking driver's education, individuals can begin driving with supervision for a period of time lasting a minimum of six months. In this stage, the new drivers are required to get 50 hours of supervised driving hours, 10 of which need to be at night.

(Some limits are applied to unsupervised drivers in high-risk situations): Drivers who passed the driver's test at 16 years and 6 months (if they took driver's ed) and at 16 years and 9 months (if they didn't take driver's ed) are now unsupervised drivers in the intermediate stage. These drivers are not allowed to drive between the hours of 10pm and 5am or have any passengers for the first 180 days. After 180 days, their driving restrictions change to 11pm-5am Sunday through Thursday and 1am and 5am Friday through Saturday.

Full Privilege Age:

(Full driver's license): At the age of 18, Indiana drivers can now get a standard driver's license without any restrictions. At the age of 17 years, drivers who took driver's education no longer have any passenger restrictions. If a driver didn't take driver's education, their passenger restrictions last until they are 17 and three months.